US Restoration Company Warns Homeowners: Beware of So-Called "Certified" Inspectors
As of today The State of Florida has not as authorized any individual or company to certify homes for defective drywall. The Florida Department of Health has not examined remediation methods and does not endorse any specific methods or techniques to conduct an effective remediation of affected home. If a homeowner is told that he/she will receive a “certified inspection report” if they hire a particular person or company, it is simply not true.
Vero Beach, FL, March 05, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Is there such a thing as a Certified Chinese Drywall inspector? No, according to Jim McAlhany, President of US Restoration Company, a Vero Beach, FL restoration and remediation company that also specializes in defective Chinese drywall removal and replacement.
“Many homeowners ask for a certificate to verify that their homes have (defective) Chinese Drywall or not,” McAlhany said. “I use the phrase defective drywall as not all Chinese Drywall is necessarily defective.”
Given the abundance of defective drywall throughout the state of Florida and other states, many people and companies deluge the state purporting to be “inspectors” or “certified;” a good example from the hurricanes that blew through Florida in 2004. It turns out the hurricanes weren’t all that blew through the state during this time of disaster.
“One of the biggest post-hurricane issues was mold and its effect on drywall” McAlhany said. “Overnight, firms appeared that would inspect and remediate the problem, generally for a very high price. A similar cottage industry is appearing as the defective drywall issue comes to a head. Yet, it took seven years for the State of Florida to enact new legislation regulating the mold inspection and remediation industry, which doesn’t take effect until July, 2010.”
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Practice for Certificate Programs (E 2659-09) define a certificate holder as an individual who has been issued a certificate after successfully meeting a certificate program’s requisites. The ASTM is recognized by the State of Florida, and a certificate issuer is defined as a legal business entity or government agency, or operating unit thereof, that has the ultimate responsibility for administering a certificate program and issuing certificates to individuals successfully meeting certificate program requisites.
“The State of Florida has not as authorized any individual or company to certify homes for defective drywall,” added McAlhany. “The Florida Department of Health has not examined remediation methods and does not endorse any specific methods or techniques to conduct an effective remediation of affected homes.”
Despite the lack of authoritative certification, can homeowners still obtain inspections for defective drywall that they can feel comfortable with and that meet their present and future requirements?
“Yes,” McAlhany said. “But homeowners must require inspections performed by state licensed individuals whose licenses can be verified at www.myfloridalicense.com.”
Licensed general contractors, plumbers, electricians, HVAC contractors, mechanical contractors, drywall contractors, electrical engineers, and HVAC engineers are all recognized by the State of Florida. Industrial hygienists and building scientists with recognized credentials by the State of Florida may also be used.
“If they are not licensed, they should not be used” he added. “It may very well be a waste of money.”
Unless the homeowner is required to have a third party prepare a report to verify defective drywall, he/she can do a simple inspection on their own. The following criteria are from the Florida Department of Health and will help to identify defective drywall:
Sentinel Indicators of Drywall Associated Corrosion (Possible Case = all 3):
1. The home was constructed or renovated with new drywall since 2001.
2. Observed corrosion of air conditioner evaporator coil exemplified by black corrosion on copper tubing components. The corrosion can result in refrigerant leakage making it impossible to cool the home requiring coil replacement. Coil failures indicative of this problem typically occur every 6-14 months
3. Observed metal corrosion, indicated by blackening of one or more of the following: copper wires, ground wires, and electrical connectors, un-insulated and un-coated copper pipes and fittings, chrome-plated bathroom fixtures, silver and copper jewelry, mirror backing in bathrooms
If a homeowner answers yes to all three of the above indicators, the home meets the criteria for “possible case” of defective drywall. Markings on the back of the drywall may indicate that it was made in China is also a strong supporting indicator, though not all defective drywall has markings on it.
“If a homeowner is told that he/she will receive a “certified inspection report” if they hire a particular person or company, it is simply not true, McAlhany said. “To have any validity now and in the future, the report must come from a licensed professional, and it will state what they have observed and document the criteria for defective drywall.”
The cost of this report should be minimal: $100.00 or less, he noted. If the homeowner has retained an attorney further documentation may be required.
“Competent licensed professionals exist to perform inspections in the State of Florida,” McAlhany concluded.
With over 30 years of experience, Jim McAlhany of US Restoration, a division of McAlhany Construction, Inc., is licensed and qualified to perform all aspects of the removal and replacement of defective Drywall. He has been involved with defective drywall in over 600 homes in Florida.
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“Many homeowners ask for a certificate to verify that their homes have (defective) Chinese Drywall or not,” McAlhany said. “I use the phrase defective drywall as not all Chinese Drywall is necessarily defective.”
Given the abundance of defective drywall throughout the state of Florida and other states, many people and companies deluge the state purporting to be “inspectors” or “certified;” a good example from the hurricanes that blew through Florida in 2004. It turns out the hurricanes weren’t all that blew through the state during this time of disaster.
“One of the biggest post-hurricane issues was mold and its effect on drywall” McAlhany said. “Overnight, firms appeared that would inspect and remediate the problem, generally for a very high price. A similar cottage industry is appearing as the defective drywall issue comes to a head. Yet, it took seven years for the State of Florida to enact new legislation regulating the mold inspection and remediation industry, which doesn’t take effect until July, 2010.”
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Practice for Certificate Programs (E 2659-09) define a certificate holder as an individual who has been issued a certificate after successfully meeting a certificate program’s requisites. The ASTM is recognized by the State of Florida, and a certificate issuer is defined as a legal business entity or government agency, or operating unit thereof, that has the ultimate responsibility for administering a certificate program and issuing certificates to individuals successfully meeting certificate program requisites.
“The State of Florida has not as authorized any individual or company to certify homes for defective drywall,” added McAlhany. “The Florida Department of Health has not examined remediation methods and does not endorse any specific methods or techniques to conduct an effective remediation of affected homes.”
Despite the lack of authoritative certification, can homeowners still obtain inspections for defective drywall that they can feel comfortable with and that meet their present and future requirements?
“Yes,” McAlhany said. “But homeowners must require inspections performed by state licensed individuals whose licenses can be verified at www.myfloridalicense.com.”
Licensed general contractors, plumbers, electricians, HVAC contractors, mechanical contractors, drywall contractors, electrical engineers, and HVAC engineers are all recognized by the State of Florida. Industrial hygienists and building scientists with recognized credentials by the State of Florida may also be used.
“If they are not licensed, they should not be used” he added. “It may very well be a waste of money.”
Unless the homeowner is required to have a third party prepare a report to verify defective drywall, he/she can do a simple inspection on their own. The following criteria are from the Florida Department of Health and will help to identify defective drywall:
Sentinel Indicators of Drywall Associated Corrosion (Possible Case = all 3):
1. The home was constructed or renovated with new drywall since 2001.
2. Observed corrosion of air conditioner evaporator coil exemplified by black corrosion on copper tubing components. The corrosion can result in refrigerant leakage making it impossible to cool the home requiring coil replacement. Coil failures indicative of this problem typically occur every 6-14 months
3. Observed metal corrosion, indicated by blackening of one or more of the following: copper wires, ground wires, and electrical connectors, un-insulated and un-coated copper pipes and fittings, chrome-plated bathroom fixtures, silver and copper jewelry, mirror backing in bathrooms
If a homeowner answers yes to all three of the above indicators, the home meets the criteria for “possible case” of defective drywall. Markings on the back of the drywall may indicate that it was made in China is also a strong supporting indicator, though not all defective drywall has markings on it.
“If a homeowner is told that he/she will receive a “certified inspection report” if they hire a particular person or company, it is simply not true, McAlhany said. “To have any validity now and in the future, the report must come from a licensed professional, and it will state what they have observed and document the criteria for defective drywall.”
The cost of this report should be minimal: $100.00 or less, he noted. If the homeowner has retained an attorney further documentation may be required.
“Competent licensed professionals exist to perform inspections in the State of Florida,” McAlhany concluded.
With over 30 years of experience, Jim McAlhany of US Restoration, a division of McAlhany Construction, Inc., is licensed and qualified to perform all aspects of the removal and replacement of defective Drywall. He has been involved with defective drywall in over 600 homes in Florida.
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Contact
US Restoration Company
Dennis Hill
772-581-5850
www.usrestorationcompany.com
Dennis Hill
772-581-5850
www.usrestorationcompany.com
Contact
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